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Religious Groups
Buddhism Location Buddhism was founded around 600 BCE in Lumbini, in what is now Nepal. Most followers currently are found in Southern Asia, though many are in Mongolia and Japan. Important People Buddha Born Siddhartha Gautama, Buddha is the founder of Buddhism. He was born into a life of luxury and was sheltered, never being shown religion or the suffering of humankind. When he was able to leave the palace, he was distressed at the troubles of the people around him. After he returned, he was no longer content with palace life. So, he left the palace. shaved his head, and changed out of his prince's clothes to start the quest for enlightenment. He became a monk in an attempt to figure out why people had to suffer. After meditation, he felt that people must turn away from their greed and desire. He spread his teachings, and was called Buddha, or "The Enlightened One." Beliefs Buddha taught that there were Four Noble Truths in life (which teach Buddhists that suffering is real, but can be fought by the attainment of Nirvana, which is the ultimate goal of Buddhists. It is a state of enlightenment where one can have happiness and peace. In order to achieve Nirvana, a person must follow The Middle Way (Eightfold Path – 8 rules for conduct). Buddhists also believe in reincarnation, a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, where one’s behavior in this life determines what one becomes in the next life. There is no God in this religion; rather, Buddha himself is worshipped for his teachings. The Eightfold Path *Try to recognize the truth *Try to avoid evil actions and bad people * Do not say things that hurt others *Respect other people and their belongings *Choose a job that does no harm to others * Do not think evil thoughts *Avoid excitement or anger *Work at meditation, thinking carefully about what matters in life Sacred Text The sacred text of Buddhism is known as the Tripitaka. It contains all of Buddha's numerous teachings. Hinduism Location Hinduism developed in India in about 1500 BCE. Hinduism is still a very prominent religion in India, as 80% of people claim to be Hindu. Important People Aryans Hinduism does not result from the teachings of one person. Instead, the religion they practice is based on the religion of the Aryans. Aryan priests followed complicated prayers, rituals, and hymns known as The Vedas. Beliefs All Hindus believe in reincarnation, the idea that the soul does not leave with the body, but enters the body of another being. The type of life one leads determines and the person's actions (karma) determine what the next life will be like. A soul is reincarnated until it reaches moksha, which grants them freedom from the cycle. Hindus live by the caste system, a belief that a person's class is hereditary and can not be changed. The only way to change castes is to be born into a different one in the next life. Traditional families often do not let their children marry people of different castes, and many jobs in India are still given by connections to certain castes. Castes God(s) There is 1 Hindu god, Brahman. He is considered a supreme god and cannot be fully understood or known. However, there are 330 million different manifestations of Brahman. The ones an individual Hindu worships are dependent on your birth position, career, financial status, etc. Islam Location Islam's origins have been traced to 7th century Saudi Arabia. Now, Islam has spread worldwide, not being confined to any region. The religion is most prominent, however, in Asia. Important People Muhammad Muhammad was born in 570 in Mecca, Arabia (now Saudi Arabia). Muhammad is considered by Muslims to be the greatest prophet of their religion. Beliefs Islam is based on the teachings of the prophet, Muhammad. There are 2 major denominations of Islam; Sunni and Shia. Often, they will disagree with each other, which leads to conflict. Five Pillars of Faith Muslims practice what is known as the Five Pillars of Faith. These are rules that each Muslim is obliged to live by. *Shahada - Confessing that there is only one god and Muhammad is his messenger *Salat - Prayer towards the the direction of Mecca 5 times a day *Zakat - Charity to the poor (customarily 2.5% of one's earnings, or 1/40th) *Sawm - Fasting during the month of Ramadan, the 9th month of the Islamic calendar *Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca if physically and financially able God(s) Muslims believe that Allah is the creator of all things, all-powerful, and all-knowing. He has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by human culture. Muslims believe that the guidance of Allah has been revealed to humankind through appointed prophets throughout history. This chain began with the first man, Adam, who is considered the first prophet. 25 of these prophets are named in the Qur'an, including Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the last prophet, sent for all humankind to preach Islam. Sacred Text Muslims believe that Allah revealed holy books or scriptures to a number people, chosen to be his messengers. These include the Qur'an (given to Muhammad), the Torah (given to Moses), the Gospel (given to Jesus), the Psalms (given to David), and the Scrolls (given to Abraham). However, the Qur'an is the only one that remains fundamental to Islamic belief. The angel Gabriel is Allah's chosen angel, sent to deliver divine revelations to these prophets. Shintoism Location Shintoism's roots trace back to 6th century BC Japan. Shintoism is unique to Japan and has not had any significant spread to other parts of the world. It was once the state religion of Japan. Now, it is still widely honored among the Japanese. Beliefs Shintoism has no formalized rules for moral living, no sacred text, and no true concepts of a ruling god. While there are technically no rules, Shintoism stresses the virtue of cleanliness and teaches physical purity. The religion is based on the reverence of the kami, which are divine spirits that live in nature. Many Japanese believe that mountains and rivers in Japan are home to these kami; as such, they are considered sacred by the religion. Shintoists offer prayers and rituals to honor and please the kami. Most Japanese households have a small altar where the family will offer prayers for the spirits they hope will bless and protect them. Some worship their ancestors who they believe became kami when they died. Oddly enough, since Shinto offers no ideas of a moral code, a god, or life after death, many people who practice Shinto also practice another religion as well. Confucianism (Confucianism is technically not a religion; rather, it is a philosophy.) Location It is often said to be the foundation of modern Chinese culture. Confucianism was declared the official guiding practice for the Chinese government in 121 BCE. It has continued to have great influence on Chinese government for over 2000 years. Many people in China still support the teaching of Confucius and his emphasis on dealing with others fairly. Confucianism is also commonly practiced in East Asia. Important People Confucius Confucius was born in 550≈ BCE. This was a time where the government was struggling to keep order among its citizens, and warlords controlled much of the land. He believed the key to bring peace to ancient China was for people to behave with good morals and virtue. Thus, Confucius created a moral structure for social life and politics he said that every person should follow. Confucius was not a religious prophet or leader; he saw himself as a teacher. Beliefs Confucianism is thought of as a philosophy or ethical system, rather than a religion. Confucius believed there were five basic relationships among mankind: ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, older sibling and younger sibling, & friend and friend. He believed that if each relationship were based on kindness, there would be peace and harmony in his country. His Golden Rule of Behavior was “What you do not like when done unto yourself, do not unto others.” This is still commonly quoted today. Sacred Text The Four Books and Five Classics are the major books of Confucianism. These texts illustrate the core value and belief systems in the Confucian philosophy.